KENDALL
"H
ello?" I whispered into my phone, the head of production appearing on my caller ID, but I still kept my voice low so I wouldn't wake up Dominick.
"Kendall, it's Shane."
I'd expected one of the assistants to phone me, not the boss. If Shane was calling, that meant I was in serious trouble.
And I deserved to be.
"Hi."
"We need to talk about last night."
I hurried out of Dominick's bedroom, so he wouldn't hear me, and I took a seat on the couch in the living room.
"Before you say anything, I'm sorry I left the club and that I didn't tell anyone I was going or get it approved by production. It was wrong, and I know it goes against every rule. That was extremely irresponsible of me."
I looked at my hand, remembering how they had shaken when the alert came through my phone. "There's no excuse for what I did, but I want you to understand where I'm coming from. Having a Celebrity Alert so inaccurately portray a situation, one that affects me so personally, was something I'd never experienced, and I know I didn't handle it right, but I was overwhelmed, and I reacted." I flattened my palm against my chest, the memories from last night resurfacing.
"I know I signed up for this show, I know I agreed to air my life, and I'm sorry. All I can say is that it won't happen again."
He was quiet for a moment. "I appreciate you taking responsibility."
I walked over to the sliding glass door, watching the sun rise higher in the sky, peeking through the wispy clouds. "There's no one else to blame other than myself."
"You know your contract states that we can fine you for this type of behavior, and I'm not going to waive it. The full amount will be docked from your check. I don't want the other girls to think we tolerate these kinds of actions. We don't, in any capacity, but you took accountability for your infraction, and that's all I can ask for."
"I understand."
"Filming starts in three hours. I assume you'll be there?"
"Yes. Of course."
"Good. We'll need you to go straight into an interview, where production will ask you to discuss the alert and your reaction to it. Once we have that documented, you'll join the other girls for brunch. Do you have any questions?"
"No." I turned around and walked back toward the bedroom. "Thank you."
He said good-bye and hung up, and I climbed back into Dominick's bed.
"Do you have to leave?"
I wrapped my arm over his abs, my face pressed to his chest. "Not yet, but that was Shane, head of production. He wasn't happy, but he didn't fire me, so that's a good thing. And now that that's taken care of, I have to tackle my parents and explain the whole night to them, so they don't think their daughter turned into this promiscuous minx when she moved out to LA."
"That sounds less than fun."
I ran my hand through his hair and around his face, his whiskers so rough and delicious. "They have an idea how all of this works. I mean, my sister has definitely prepped them for the Hollywood madness. Plus, they know me. I'm no prude, but banging in a public restroom isn't my style."
He took in my face. "Can I make a suggestion?"
"Please."
He rolled toward me, resting his arm across my hip. "Do you have photos of yourself from last night, prior to when things had gone down with Presley?"
I nodded. "The girls and I took several while we were in the limo and a bunch more while we were inside the club."
"At some point today, once you get your thoughts straight, go to your Instagram and share one of those pictures. It'll show what you really looked like last night, and in your post, say that it was wonderful to meet Presley, but photos aren't always the way they seem, especially the ones that have been digitally retouched." His thumb traced my lips. "Then, end it with something personal and cute, like you hope the next time you find yourself in a Celebrity Alert, it's due to your philanthropical work. That the ninety-year-old you're teaching watercolor to looks much better in pink."
My chest instantly started to loosen.
I hadn't even thought of that, but he was absolutely right.
"You're my hero."
His stare was so intense, endearing. "I've been in this business a long time, baby. These are just tricks of the trade." He leaned down, grazing his nose over my cheek, as though he was inhaling me. "I need to tell you something."
I was silent while his head returned to the pillow, his arm going behind it to prop himself up.
"I assigned Daisy to one of the attorneys on my team. If she's unhappy with the transition, she can find herself a new law firm, but I won't represent her any longer."
My heart clutched, and I pushed myself up onto my elbow. "I'm not asking for that. I hope you don't feel pressured because of what happened."
His fingers soothed those thoughts as he caressed my face. "I'm dating her sister now, so it's a conflict of interest, in my opinion. Not to mention, she's been a fucking cunt to you." His grip tightened. "But I can see that you're worried, and I assure you, anyone on my team will take excellent care of her."
"Good."
He shook his head, sighing. "You're nothing like her."
It killed me that we still hadn't spoken. That I would have to be the one to reach out if things were ever to get fixed. But she'd want me to take the blame for our spat, and I didn't think that was fair.
"No matter what, I'll always love her and care about her. I truly want the best for her, Dominick."
"Even if she treats you like shit?"
I thought about his question. I let it simmer, and eventually, I nodded. "Yes. She's my family."
"I have news," I said to Charlize, standing outside my building after Dominick dropped me off. "It's top secret-you can't share it even if there's wine or a gun is being held to your head-but I have to tell someone before I explode."
I couldn't go inside and talk to him. Every word would be caught on camera, and I just wanted this moment of privacy before I went upstairs and got ready to film.